I posted this in another thread as my “oh shit moment”, but it was seeing this picture. The bad thing is, I thought I looked good at the time. I had 19 inch arms and I was pretty damn strong. I was one of those eternal bulkers, because plain and simple I was lazy and getting into real shape took more discipline than I had at that time in my life.
Got jumped in a park back in 10th grade, and it pissed me off to no end that I couldnt defend myself. So I went and talked to the high school football team’s strength and conditioning coach and joined the team.
+45 lbs later, I know I can kick that guy’s ass and defend myself fine (Ive done it once since then), but somewhere along the line, it became about something else.
I cannot stand it when someone is stronger then me. Absolutely cannot STAND it. I am one competetive son of a bitch, and I want to be the best.
Because it hurts
Man, I cannot remember not training. When I was little we used to lay on the mats and press plates in the (gymnastics) gym. Training was like a part-time job as far as the hours that I put in, even at 6 years old. By the time I was 12 I got burnt out after nearly 10 years of it and I moved on to being a cheerleader. Since I was strong and not super scrawny I tumbled and spent my time practicing and tossing other tinier chicks around in the form of stunts. Not easy. Actually got some cracked ribs once during a stunt gone bad. Our squad in HS was hard-core. Very elite and we trained in the weight room right along side of the guys we cheered for…
By college I got hooked on running and did that for many years while still doing some ‘vanity’ crap with DBs, BW stuff, etc. Eventually my hip sorta protested against all of the road miles I was putting in after a bad breakup. Constant hip pain. My job is really active and I knew I had to do something about it if I wanted to continue to do what I love professionally. So I went back to the gym to lift and rehab (and use the elliptical since I was a cardio junkie.) Didn’t take long for me to realize that I was far better suited genetically for strength pursuits than for running after all.
The rest is history. Recently I started running trails again, but only for pleasure. In the gym and under a bar is where I belong.
And as a bonus, being strong really helps me to be effective at my job. My plan is to keep lifting and working until I die. I joke with patients that once I finally finish school I’ll be lucky to pay off my student loans before “retirement age” and that I will probably keel over in the office. Maybe one of their grandkids will be table at the time…
Bottom line: I love to lift. It’s what I do. What the hell would I do with all of that time if I wasn’t in the gym training? People, mostly dudes, ask me all of the time if I’m training for “something”… Nah, I just train. I like to lift heavy shit. That simple. Maybe I’ll compete someday but for now I am perfectly happy chasing PRs and sometimes putting guys to shame in the gym.
Then, I got tired of being the fat, weak, nerdy guy who couldn’t get laid if he walked into a Thai whorehouse with $10,000 and a huge bag of coke.
Now, I just do it for the lulz.
[quote]wannabebig25 wrote:
haha funny you mention the back to basics and powerlifting frame of mind. ive actually been doing all compounds movements only (push/pull split), and trying to add 5lbs to my lifts EVERY session. its f’in tough to do push presses, followed by bench press, dips and THEN squats all in one workout. i figure once i add another 50lbs or more to all my compounds ill go back to the typical BBing split. and only being in the gym 2-3x a week for the next few months will be a nice change of pace. plus who doesnt like to just lift heavy shit for a few reps and fuck the pump and burn.[/quote]
I found that my best gains always followed a period where I seem to give up (but accidentally figure out what needs to be done!). Over some time I’ve learned how I grow best and get strongest from low volume and higher frequency (typically a 2 or 3 way split done 3-4x/week). This used to confuse me so much since it seemed to anti-typical of bodybuilding training, but at the end of the day your own feedback’s more important than what you see/have been told. If you aren’t getting stronger, if you aren’t recovering, you aren’t getting bigger…period (doesn’t matter how many exercises you do, or how “good” your split is)
[quote]mattyg24 wrote:
Plain and simple, I’m curious what causes most people here at TNation to train, or what single event resulted in their obsession (if you will) to train towards attaining a jaw dropping physique, or becoming stronger, or performing better, whatever the goal.
For me, it was a bad breakup with an ex-girlfriend, which resulted in my self-hatred and self-consciousness. I saw training as great stress relief, and soon saw my body composition improving. Getting even more analytical from a psychological standpoint, me being dumped by the first girl i truly loved caused me to have severe anxiety about my body composition, and how i looked in public. In a way, my goal of getting jacked was me trying to win her back, as i subconsciously thought that my body comp. was the main problem in our relationship.
I’m curious to hear what your reasons are. Reading about what gets people motivated is not only informative, but can also help renew one’s waning passion for their training. thanks [/quote]
Wow, great question. For me my lifting has gone through two phases, high-school / college and now Post-TRT.
In high school it was more about football and baseball. Not to mention I had spent most of middle school chubby and weak, coudln’t even do 10 push-ups. By my senior year I had dropped 40lbs of fat and I had a chance to play division II baseball but I decided to focus on education. I ended-up getting married at 22 with two step-sons, started a career, and when back to finish my bachelor’s degree all at the same time, major stress all at once. I basically stopped lifting by the time I was 23, the mental and physical stress was too much. 
When I hit 31 my body felt like crap both physcially and mentally, not to mention I was up to a bad 237lbs. I wanted to get back into lifting but I just couldn’t phsyically do it or mentally get myself into it. I knew there was something wrong with my health and started trying to figure out what it was. About 1 year later I was diagnosed with Hypogonadism at 32 years old, T-level was at 192 and E2 was at 44. I started therapy and hit the gym again not long after. I wanted to get the confidence back that I had when I was in good shape, not to mention I just wanted to be strong again. Having my wife checkout me out is a nice fringe benefit I guess. I love moving heavy weight and see myself progress. It’s a mental and physical game that you play against yourself and I love it.
What’s interesting is that I didn’t discover this site until the end of when I stopped lifting. I remembered this site and came back when I started lifting again and just took in all the information like a sponge, still do. I started following Wendler, Tate, Thibs, Waterbury, etc, and to be honest I’m stronger now than I was previously.
J
My desire to “get in shape” started when I was 13 with the Presidential Fitness Tests. I was fat, sucked at EVERY test, could only do 1 pushup and was teased by another kid and destroying him was my initial motivation.
Started going to the Y with my dad and 6 mos later got the highest point total in my grade and went it from there.
That was 20 years ago and I love training now more than ever. The best part is you still learn more every day. I hope my son wants to train with me when he’s old enough so I can pass on the fitness torch to him.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]angus_beef wrote:
Well it was getting really tedious having sex with my clothes on in the dark.
Now i have day time sex in the nude :)… With the occasional timberland boots, baseball hat and a tripod… but now clothing optional!
[/quote]
Yes, sex confidence is a beautiful thing. If I can bring my waist in more I simply won’t wear clothes at all.
Like, ever.[/quote]
Heh, careful, this looking-good-naked thing can be addictive. You might not want to bulk again!
Looking like this, lol. No one had any hesitation to pick on/mess with me back then. It got tiring.
[quote]kingbeef323 wrote:
Looking like this, lol. No one had any hesitation to pick on/mess with me back then. It got tiring.[/quote]
That pic juxtaposed with your new avatar is perfect. Huge difference! : )
[quote]kingbeef323 wrote:
Looking like this, lol. No one had any hesitation to pick on/mess with me back then. It got tiring.[/quote]
Amazing transformation . . . I suspect in both body and mind!
I just love the way I feel. I can’t remember not working out.
[quote]SIMPSTR wrote:
I just love the way I feel. I can’t remember not working out.[/quote]
I choose not to. I feel like crap if I go more than three or four days without training.
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
[quote]wannabebig25 wrote:
haha funny you mention the back to basics and powerlifting frame of mind. ive actually been doing all compounds movements only (push/pull split), and trying to add 5lbs to my lifts EVERY session. its f’in tough to do push presses, followed by bench press, dips and THEN squats all in one workout. i figure once i add another 50lbs or more to all my compounds ill go back to the typical BBing split. and only being in the gym 2-3x a week for the next few months will be a nice change of pace. plus who doesnt like to just lift heavy shit for a few reps and fuck the pump and burn.[/quote]
I found that my best gains always followed a period where I seem to give up (but accidentally figure out what needs to be done!). Over some time I’ve learned how I grow best and get strongest from low volume and higher frequency (typically a 2 or 3 way split done 3-4x/week). This used to confuse me so much since it seemed to anti-typical of bodybuilding training, but at the end of the day your own feedback’s more important than what you see/have been told. If you aren’t getting stronger, if you aren’t recovering, you aren’t getting bigger…period (doesn’t matter how many exercises you do, or how “good” your split is)[/quote]
ha thats hilarious, because i also sort of “gave up” 2 weeks ago. started only going 2-3 times a week, eating a ton of food (clean and non-clean), and all of a sudden im smashing PRs and gaining clean weight again. funny how things work out when you stop caring and just go with the flow instead of analyzing every last detail of your diet and training. feel a million times better not constantly pounding my body in the gym day in day out too.
having a heart condition means my health is not a choice.
I really like the article by TC Testosterone Principles Something that Matters
I?ve had lots of external motivations in the past but I?ve just got to be getting stronger
As a kid I was picked on pretty bad and that is what initially got me started lifting
Being noticed by girls was also a plus but strength mattered above all else
Got to compete in some local strongman contests in my early twenties
I did pretty good and had lots of aspirations
I then got diagnosed with cancer and had a five year battle in which I nearly died
Docs said my strength and size helped in my handling of all the chemo and radiation but I felt like I lost it all ? the fear of being weak and small was more detrimental than almost having lost my life
Pretty fucked up priorities but that?s me
No lance Armstrong comeback story either
Spent the next eight years or so drinking an feeling sorry for myself
Hit bottom and got sober
Started lifting again about two years ago and have been training harder than I ever have in my entire life
Making good gains in strength and getting leaner to boot
Aesthetics still not as important as strength but are more important now than before
I don?t like being fat
Tonight after work is my equivalent of leg day
Heavy Romanian dead lifts, leg press, bottom position squats, and ab work
Got to focus on work but my gym time is in the back of my mind
I like what some posters above said about still being motivated 10 years down the road
Being consistent over the long haul is the only way to make progress
Don?t know exactly what my motivation is but I just gotta get stronger
External motivators eventually fail me it?s gotta come from inside to stick
Good topic
Thanks to the OP
Damn, KingBeef with the great before/after shot! -lol. This thread is very enetrtaining, thanks to everyone who has been sharing their stories,
S
[quote]davidcox1 wrote:
For me it was when a classmate in junior high school made fun of my small arms by showing everyone he could put his fingers around my upper arm and touch them together–one handed like. The guys all around laughed, and I vowed no one would ever do that to me again. [/quote]
Same!
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Damn, KingBeef with the great before/after shot! -lol. This thread is very enetrtaining, thanks to everyone who has been sharing their stories,
S[/quote]
Sadly, my “before” picture from about that same age is way more nerdy. I have never posted it before just because no one believes it’s me.